Part 27 (1/2)

12. Fitz-James and the mad woman (pp. 172-178).

13. The hospitality of a Highlander (pp. 180-183).

14. The hidden army (pp. 191-192).

15. The combat (pp. 195-200).

16. Douglas at the games (pp. 207-211).

17. The speech of Douglas (pp. 212, 213).

18. The Battle of Beal' an Duine (pp. 232-240).

19. Fitz-James reveals himself to Ellen (pp. 244-249).

CLa.s.sES OF POETRY

It is important for the student of poetry to know the princ.i.p.al cla.s.ses into which poems are divided. The following brief explanations do not pretend to be exhaustive, but they should be of practical aid. It must be remembered that a long poem is sometimes not very definitely of any one cla.s.s, but combines characteristics of different cla.s.ses.

_Narrative_ poetry, like narrative prose, aims primarily to tell a story.

The _epic_ is the most pretentious kind of narrative poetry; it tells in serious verse of the great deeds of a popular hero. The _Iliad_, the _Aeneid_, _Beowulf_, _Paradise Lost_ are important epics. The _Idylls of the King_ is in the main an epic poem.

The _metrical romance_ is a rather long story in verse, of a less exalted and heroic character than the true epic. Scott's _Lady of the Lake_ is a familiar example.

The _verse tale_ is shorter and likely to be less dignified and serious than the metrical romance. The stories in Chaucer's _Canterbury Tales_, or Burns's _Tam O'Shanter_, may serve as examples.

The _ballad_ is a narrative poem, usually rather short and in such form as to be sung. It is distinguished from a song by the fact that it tells a story. _Popular_ or _folk_ ballads are ancient and of unknown authors.h.i.+p--handed down by word of mouth and varied by the transmitters.